Best Social Media Platforms For Restaurants in 2025

A strong trend toward promoting restaurants, bars, and cafés on social media has grown exponentially over the last few years as online delivery exploded.

A recent study found that 52% of online adults now use two or more social media sites, showing a significant increase in the last two years. This statistic shows that social media is key to reaching large numbers of people at once at a low cost to your bottom line. Social networks depend largely on photos for their impact, and are undoubtedly the best vehicle to advertise appealing food and welcoming premises.

Studies have shown that social media posts accompanied by photos are 10 times more likely to get engagement, so it’s important for restaurant owners to become social media photo-friendly.

If you are already taking advantage of social media platforms, it’s time to step up your interactions. If you haven’t taken the social media leap, it’s time to take the plunge.

Creating a social media planning calendar, so it becomes an integrated daily task, is a great way to make sure your social media presence remains relevant and fresh.

While the task of developing content to post on social media should be at top-of-mind, it’s equally important to understand which platforms are the most relevant for promoting your restaurant.

In 2025, social networking sites are estimated to reach 5.42 billion users and these figures are still expected to grow as mobile device usage and mobile social networks increasingly gain traction in previously underserved markets.

There are many social media networks that work to increase awareness and traffic for restaurants, but the top five listed below are undoubtedly the ones you shouldn’t miss when creating your online marketing menu.

Top Five Social Media Networks for Restaurants

For 2025, the best social media platforms for restaurants are Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, with Google Business Profile and YouTube also highly recommended for local search and longer-form content.

These platforms excel at showcasing visually appealing food through short-form videos and high-quality images, engaging a wide audience, building community, and driving local discovery and reservations. 

Key Platforms and Why They're Essential

• Instagram: Ideal for visually driven content, Instagram allows restaurants to showcase their food, ambiance, and unique selling points through high-quality photos and Stories. 

• TikTok: This platform is perfect for creating fun, authentic, and engaging short-form videos that can go viral and reach a broad audience, especially younger demographics.

• Facebook: A strong tool for connecting with the existing audience by sharing updates, running events, and creating a community around the restaurant's brand. 

• Google Business Profile: Crucial for local SEO, it helps your restaurant appear in local searches and on Google Maps, driving both online visibility and in-person visits. 

• YouTube: Great for longer-form content, such as behind-the-scenes looks, cooking tutorials, and customer testimonials, which can build deeper engagement and brand loyalty. 

Top 5 Social Media Platforms in 2025

Instagram

Instagram is the perfect place to showcase your menu and restaurant photos. Since it seamlessly integrates with Facebook, you can share images and videos across both platforms at once.

Instagram is all about visual storytelling. High-quality photos are a must, and filters or editing tools can make your food even more enticing. Showcase your ambiance, décor, and even the personality of your staff through Instagram Reels and Stories.

Take it a step further by encouraging guests to upload their own photos and tag your restaurant. User-generated content not only builds your photo library but also boosts engagement. Instagram is especially popular among younger audiences (15–24), who respond strongly to its visual-first format.

Instagram Advertising: Instagram’s paid ad system allows you to target specific demographics and behaviors. Ads can appear in Stories, the main feed, or the Explore page, giving you multiple ways to connect with potential customers who are scrolling daily.

Image & Video Specs:

• Square images: 1080 × 1080 pixels

• Vertical Stories/Reels: 1080 × 1920 pixels

• Landscape images: 1080 × 566 pixels

Try using trending hashtags. For example, use #chocolateday on National Chocolate Day or #bestfathersdayburger on Father’s Day. Use niche hashtags as well. if you are located in Atlanta, try #atlantaeats or #atlantatacos.  

Try running photo contests on Instagram as well. They can generate customer loyalty as users take and submit photos and come back often to see if they’ve won.

TikTok

TikTok has exploded in popularity and is now one of the most powerful platforms for reaching younger diners. With over 1 billion monthly users, it’s where food trends are born — and where restaurants can easily go viral.

The key to TikTok is authenticity over polish. Behind-the-scenes prep clips, staff interactions, and fun challenges often outperform professional ads.

Best TikTok Content Ideas for Restaurants:

• Participate in trending challenges and adapt them with your menu.

• Show “before and after” shots of food being prepared.

• Introduce your staff to add personality to your brand.

• Capture your ambiance using trending audio clips.

TikTok Ads: Restaurants can use TikTok’s ad manager to run hyper-local campaigns, targeting nearby users with daily specials, events, or delivery options. Retargeting options also help keep your brand top of mind.

Video Specs:

• Vertical format: 1080 × 1920 pixels

• Ideal length: 15–30 seconds

One creative video can bring thousands of new customers through your doors.

Facebook

There’s no doubt that you absolutely need a Facebook page for your restaurant. A recent study found that Facebook continues to be the most popular social media platform, making it an essential space for building community and engaging with your audience.

Create your Facebook business page carefully. You have 851 × 351 pixels to market your restaurant for free in your timeline cover image. Carry your brand identity across all social media platforms so you’re easily recognizable.

When posting on Facebook, always include a high-quality image or video with your text. Consistency is key. Share useful content — tips, special promotions, behind-the-scenes glimpses — and limit heavy self-promotion. Instead, listen to what your customers want, and deliver it.

Key Facebook Marketing Tools:

• Run advertising campaigns tailored to specific demographics (age, location, interests, etc.).

• Use Insights and analytics to track campaign results.

• Create events to promote happy hours, live music, or seasonal specials.

• Engage directly with customers via Messenger.

• Integrate with ordering platforms (like Sauce) to accept orders directly in Messenger and retarget repeat buyers automatically.

Image Specs:

• Standard image post: 1200 × 630 pixels

• Highlighted image: 1200 × 717 pixels

• Event image: 1920 × 1005 pixels

• Group cover: 1640 × 856 pixels

Google Business Profile

If Instagram and TikTok help attract diners visually, Google Business Profile helps convert their interest into action. Think of your Google Business Profile as your restaurant’s digital storefront. When potential diners search “restaurants near me,” Google Maps pulls directly from these profiles.

A complete, up-to-date profile improves your visibility and makes it easy for customers to call, get directions, or make reservations.

How to Optimize Your Profile:

• Keep business hours, phone number, and website updated.

• Upload high-quality photos of dishes, interiors, and exteriors.

• Post updates for specials, holiday hours, or events.

• Respond to all reviews — thank positive ones and professionally address negative ones.

Why It’s Essential:

• Boosts local SEO and increases visibility on Google Maps.

• Integrates with “Order Online” and “Reserve a Table” tools.

• Provides insights into how customers find and interact with your listing.

Photo Specs:

• Recommended size: 720 × 720 pixels

• Formats: JPG or PNG

YouTube

YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world, and it’s perfect for restaurants looking to tell deeper stories. While Instagram and TikTok excel with short-form content, YouTube thrives on long-form videos that showcase your restaurant’s brand in more detail.

Content Ideas for Restaurants on YouTube:

• Chef-led cooking tutorials.

• Behind-the-scenes “day in the life” content.

• Customer testimonials and special event recaps.

• Virtual tours of your restaurant and kitchen.

Advertising on YouTube:

• Use skippable in-stream ads to promote new specials.

• Target local foodies with geo-specific campaigns.

• Retarget viewers who engaged with your website or social media.

Video Specs:

• Standard resolution: 1920 × 1080 pixels (16:9 ratio)

• Thumbnail size: 1280 × 720 pixels

• Keep intros under 5 seconds to hook viewers.

Pro Tip: Repurpose long-form YouTube videos into shorter Reels or TikToks for maximum reach.

Recommended Posting Frequency for Restaurants:

• Facebook: 3–5 times per week

• Instagram: 5–7 times per week (mix of feed posts, Reels, and Stories)

• TikTok: 3–5 times per week (short, authentic videos)

• Google Business Profile: 1–2 times per month (photos, updates, specials)

• YouTube: 1–2 times per month (longer-form videos repurposed into shorts for other platforms)

Together, these five platforms give your restaurant the visibility, engagement, and credibility needed to compete in today’s digital-first dining scene. But, though consistency builds visibility, quality keeps followers engaged. Focus on what your audience wants to see, and use each platform strategically to complement the others.

Social Awareness: Why Image Quality and Sizing Matter

There’s a lot to get right when creating visual content for social media. One of the most critical steps is making sure your images are both original and properly formatted. If you don’t have professional photos, invest in high-quality stock images — but never use visuals that could defy copyright laws.

Getting your social media image sizes right is just as important as the content itself:

• Prevents pixelation and awkward stretching.

• Optimizes content for each platform’s feed, increasing engagement.

• Ensures your audience sees the full photo (no cut-off text or logos).

• Saves you time later, since networks frequently update display guidelines.

Pro Tip: Tools like Canva can help you navigate the world of social media design, making this vast opportunity for marketing to your customer base a little less overwhelming.

See our blog post “The EYES Have It” - How to Take Mouthwatering Photos for Your Website and Social Media for more details.  

Takeaway

Restaurants that succeed on social media don’t just post — they plan. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Google Business Profile, and YouTube each serve a unique role in your marketing mix.

By pairing the right content with the right platform — and making sure your visuals are legally sourced, properly sized, and high-quality — you’ll maximize engagement, build trust, and drive more customers to your tables.

By Eileen Strauss